Sept. 13th – at Houston – “Colorado, We Have a Problem”

Houston dominated the first and third quarters, opening up a 13-0 first half lead on the way to a convincing 36-20 victory over Colorado. Cougar quarterback Conner Weigman completed 15-of-24 passes for 222 yards, with 17 carries for 83 yards and two touchdowns. Houston kicker Ethan Sanchez went 5-of-6 on field goal attempts, with a long of 52, as the Cougars scored on eight drives, punting only once all game.

Ryan Staub started the second game of his career, finishing 19-of-35 for 204 yards and a late 37-yard touchdown pass to Joseph Williams after the game was decided. Staub was also sacked three times, and was intercepted twice.

The Buffs clawed their way back to make it a 16-14 game at halftime, with a Simeon Price 38-yard scoring run and a Zach Atkins recovery of a Ryan Staub fumble in the end zone giving CU new life. In the third quarter, however, two Houston drives at up over 13 minutes of game clock, making it a 26-14 game. Two fourth quarter interceptions – CU’s first two turnovers of the season – ended any hope of a Buff comeback.

“Nobody could have told me that was going to go down like that,” Coach Prime said. “There’s no way.

“With the week of preparation that we had, the meetings that we had, the film study and the preparation that we had, no one could have told me that it was going to turn out like this. But … it wasn’t good. It wasn’t good at all. I take full responsibility of the foolishness that went on out there that … we tried to call it football. It wasn’t that.”

Prior to joining the Big 12, Colorado had only played Houston once in football, with the Buffs defeating the Cougars in the 1971 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl in the old Astrodome.

A year before that game, in April, 1970, Houston, a/k/a “Space City”, endured the near disaster of the Apollo 13 mission. “Houston, we have a problem”, became an instant quotable quote, which was later immortalized in the Ron Howard/Tom Hanks film.

Fifty-five years later, on a steamy night in September, 2025, it wasn’t Houston which left TDECU Stadium with a problem, it was the visitors.

The Houston Cougars, 4-8 in 2024, dominated Colorado in every phase, settling for a 36-20 victory … a score which could have been even more lopsided if the Houston offense hadn’t settled for field goals in five of its eight scoring drives.

For a CU team coming off of a 9-4 season, including wins in seven of nine Big 12 conference games in 2024, to be mauled on both sides of the ball by a team which had as many issues as they did coming in … Colorado has a problem.

Game Day! … Scouting Report: Houston … Updated CU injury report: Running backs Dallan Hayden and Simeon Price upgraded to “Probable” … Defensive tackles coach Domata Peko: “We’re not loafing out there” …

CU has played Houston only once in football, but a number of star Buffs have come to Boulder from “Space City” … Charlie Davis and John Stearns led the Buffs to a 29-17 win over the Cougars in the 1971 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl … The Big 12 has three teams in the top four nationally in scoring defense (including Houston) …

Experts divided on CU/Houston v. spread … And then there were three: ASU’s loss to SEC bottom feeder Mississippi State leaves only three Big 12 teams in new AP poll … Big 12 lines: Buffs open as a 4.5-point road underdog to Houston …

Houston QB Conner Weigman was the No. 1 rated high school recruit in the Class of 2022 … The Cougars (against light competition) have given up only one touchdown in two games … CU No. 1 in the nation in two statistical categories …

Another week, another last minute touchdown … This game, though, it was the Buffs who were the victims of a late touchdown, with a loss to No. 21 Illinois dropping CU to 1-1-1 … Bill McCartney: “This loss takes us out of contention” …